ALLAHABAD FORT

Allahabad Fort is a fort built by the Mughal emperor Akbar at Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1583. The fort stands on the banks of the Yamuna near its confluence with the river Ganges. Akbar named the fort Illahabas (“blessed by God”), which later became “Allahabad”. The fort has three gateways and huge walls. There is an Ashoka Pillar made from sandstone that stands almost 35 feet tall which is believed to have been built in 232 B.C. and a major attraction for archaeologists and historians.

There is an underground temple known as the Patalpuri Temple and Akshaya Vat (Immortal banyan tree). Akbar’s fort was constructed in such a way that it enclosed the famous Akshayavat tree, where people would commit suicide in order to achieve salvation. The reason for this is not known, although some sources claim that he did it to prevent people from committing suicides.

It was one of the most prized citadels of the Mughal Empire. Today, the fort is under the control of the Indian Army and only a section of the fort is open to tourists. The Allahabad Fort is the largest fort built by Akbar. The fort is open to everybody on all days from 6 am to 5 pm. There are no places to stay or eat inside the fort.